Refer China: He Had a Chinese Hukou。 He Also Had a Foreign Passport。 Now He’s Fined。

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He Had a Chinese Hukou. He Also Had a Foreign Passport. Now He's Fined.

Zhang, a former Chinese citizen who later acquired Singaporean nationality, has been penalized for illegal residence and employment in Shenzhen, China—despite holding a local household registration (hukou) for years after changing nationalities.

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On May 12, 2018, Zhang transferred his household registration from City N to Shenzhen, claiming the status of a returned overseas student. However, Zhang had already become a Singaporean national prior to this move.

On February 22, 2020, Zhang entered Shenzhen using a Singaporean passport and a Q2 visa (intended for short-term family visits). After his visa expired, he did not leave the country. Instead, on July 16 of the same year, he applied to extend his visa under his Singaporean identity. Authorities discovered that Zhang still retained his Chinese hukou, which was not canceled until March 2023.

Further investigation revealed that Zhang had been working at a company in Shenzhen since 2007 and had been consistently receiving a salary. Based on this, the police concluded that he had engaged in illegal residence and illegal employment. Zhang was given a combined penalty of administrative detention and a fine. He filed for administrative reconsideration, but the reviewing body upheld the original decision.

According to the police, both China and Singapore do not recognize dual nationality. When Zhang became a Singaporean citizen, he had submitted documentation declaring automatic renunciation of his Chinese citizenship. He was therefore considered solely a Singaporean national.

Additionally, Zhang had entered and exited China 187 times over more than a decade using a Singaporean passport and Chinese visas—further demonstrating his awareness and acknowledgment of his foreign citizenship status.

Thus, authorities stated that Zhang had long worked and resided in China without a valid work permit or residence authorization, clearly violating the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China.

Source: 宁波晚报